Tray binder



June 21, 1927. 1,633,023

' J. M- JONES E AL TRAY BINDER Filed y 1926 Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a attozwugo June 21,1927. 1,633,023

. J. M. JONES ET AL TRAY BINDER Filed May a. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I a g 6410! war).

Patented June 21, 1927.

urn'rs'o STATES PATENT or ice.

JESSE M. JONES AND ROBERT E. WEBB, OF 1103 ANGELES, CALTFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO CHARLES R. HADLEY COMPANY, OF LOSS OF CALIFORNIA.

ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION TRAY BINDER.

Application filed May s, 1926. semi No. 107,563.

This invention relates to that type of loose lni'i? holder termed, in the art, tray binder, and an object of the invention is to provide a tray binder having a tray from which the binder covers with their contents can be removed for placing in a vault, or for any other desired purpose.

Loose leaf holders employed in the art relating to accounting have heretofore been of two types, the older type being simply in the form of a binder con'iprising covers, and a means for detachably holding the index guides and loose leaves clamped between the covers. Another type that is 01 more recent origin is termed tray binder and comprises a tray, leaf-clamping means adjustably mounted on the tray in such manner as not to be detachable, and cover or leaf supporting members hinged to the clamping means so that said covers can be opened away from each other to permit inspection of the loose leaves without the necessity of nnclamping said leaves, which unclamping is only necessary when it is desired. to remove or replace the loose leaves.

The present invention is distinct from both of the devices above described, in that it comprises a tray, leaf clamping means adjustably mounted on the tray, and detachable from said tray, and covers hinged With the to the leaf clamping means.

old type of tray binder mentioned above,

itis necessary, to safeguard the contents of the binder, to place the entire device in the vault, and an advantage of the pres ent invention over said old type of tray binder is that the tray binder may be used in exactly the same way as said old type and, furthermore, the leaf-clamping means and covers, together with the leaves clamped in the binder, may be readily removed from the tray and placed in the vault. This invention also distinguishes from the old combined tray and binder, a type in which the binder is set in a tray and is detachable therefrom, so that the binder can be taken out of the tray and placed in the vault. A di' lerence that may be mentioned between the last-mentioned old type of combined binder and tray therefor, and the present invention is that .in said old type, the clamping means is tightened and loosened when the binder is out of the tray, whereas in the present invention, the tightening and loosening may beeli'ected while the clamp ing means are in the tray.

Another advantage of the present invention-is that the cover supports are adjustable with and by the leaf-clamping means so that the binder and tray can be expanded together when it is desired to insert a greater number or leaves between the covers.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the subjoined detailed description.

The accompanying drawings illustratethe invention.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a tray binder constructed in accordance with the provisions or this invention, the binder being shown in solid lines in closed position and one of the covers beingcindicated in open position in broken lines.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure '1 from the left thereof, a portion of the front cover being broken away.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the binder detached from the tray.

Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the tray shown in Figures 1 and 2, one of the cover-supporting members being broken away. 7 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line indicated by 55, Figure 2, the leafclamping means being released and the frontcover being in the open position as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the upper portions of the binder covers, its contents, and the cover-supporting arms being broken away to contract the View. I

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the jaw end of the crank employed in adjusting the clamping means.

Figure 7 is an enlarged tragmental view,

mainly insection, from the line indicatedby 77, Figure 1.

members 13 together constitute an adjustable binder back. In thisinstance, the studsl6 are yieldingly mounted so that they can be retracted from the slots l'l'. The studs 16, in:

this instance, are attached to fiat springs 18 securedcto the'flanges 17 and projecting through holes 19 in the flanges 17. The springs 18 yieldingl hold the studs in the slots and the flanges 1 to slide in, thus making atelescoping connection between the clamping members 13.

- To separate the members, all that is necesearly is to pull the springs 18 outwardly to withdraw the studs from the slotsand then slidethe flanges 15out of the flanges 17.

To-the clampingmembers 13 are secured the opp'ositeends of telescoping index-guide retaining members 20 which are adapted to extend th rou lr holes 21 formed in'dowir wardly exten ing tabs22- of index guides 23.

The binder backhas interfitting leaf-supporting members 2 1, alternate ones of said members being secured to the different clamping members ltl'. Thus, the leaf support isof sectional construction, one of the sect'ions interengaging the other and said sections being in slidable relation so that when theol'amping members 1 3 are slid in and out relative to "each other, the leaf support is contractedand-expanded accordingly. Preferably, the members 2e are provided oin their *upper faces with trans versely extending grooves 25 so as to insure against slippage of the guides and leaves alongsaid members when said guides and leaves are not tightly clamped between the clamping memberslir. i v V To force the clamping members toward and from one another, there' isprovided suitableaneans formed, in this instance, by a 'nut 26 and screw 27, thenutbeing' secured in any-suitable manner to one 'of the inemhers 13 and the screw being rotatably supported bya bearing 28 on the other clamplllglilfil'ffbel 13, said other clamping member being provided with an opening 29 through which the head of the screw projects. Said head is lnro'vi'ded with a transversely extending pin 30, the projecting ends of which are adapted to be received in openings 31 in a shaft 32, said pins entering the openings 31 through slots 33. The shaft 32 is thus detachable from the screw and can be readi- 1y turneclby a crank handle 34 so asto move the clamping members 13 toward or from one another. Hinged at 35- to the clamping members 13 are'covers or leaf-supports 36-. a

form channels for the flanges 15 The tray is constructedas follows: There is provided a substantially flatbase 37 upon which the clamping members 13 are adapted support one of the covers'36 at a desired Movably mounted angle to the vertical. out-he base 37 is another cover support 40, also of angular construction, so as to support the other cover 36 at a desired angle to the vertical, Thus, when the covers 36 rest against the supports 39, 40', the binder is open. If the clamping members are in clamping position, as in Figure 1, with one ofthe covers 36 resting-against the supports 39, and the other cover, as indicated in brolien lines, resting against the support 40, the binder is in condition for referring to any of the loose leaves A between said covers.

The mounting for the support 10 may be constructedasfollows: The lower endof the support 40 is integral witha slide 41, which is positioned beneathand in contact with the base 37. A strap 42, projecting from the under face ofthe base extends beneath the slide 41. p a

vMeans are provided to adjustably retain the slide 11 indifferent posit-ions and for this purpose is provided a detent 43, in this instance, in the formof'a ball positioned in an openingd iin the slide 41, said deteiit being yieldin gly held toward the base 37 by spring 45, which is secured by a screw 6130 the under face of the slide 41. The detent- 43 is adapted to selectively engage in recesses or notches 4.7 i IllJllBbiLSQ/idl.

The-lowerportion of the support 40 forms a bearing 48 for the shaft 3 2, said shaft extending through said bearing-and being rotatably supported thereby; l Vhenthe shaft 32 is turned in a 'direction to increase the spacing of the clampingmembers 13,

one of said clamping members moves toward the support 40 and when itengages said support and is moved still further away from a the other clamping member 13, the first mentioned clamping member pushesthe support 40 outwardly, th-u's simultaneously expanding thebinder and the tray so as to accon-imodatea larger volume of loose leaves or separate the leaves that are in the bindera suflicient distance so that they can be read ily removed and replaced, as is requisite in making entries on the loose leaves.

The tray is provided with adjust-ably mounted stops at its sides for engaging the edges of the loose leaves and said stops are indicated at 49 and are preferably in the form of flatlstrips extending longitudinally along the sides of the tray. Thestops 49 are mounted on L-shaped standards50, the

The foregoing will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and theoperation may be briefly described as follows:

Assuming at the beginning that the binder 11 is detached from the tray and that the shaft 32 is either entirely withdrawn from the bearing 4-8 or is withdrawn so that its inner end is substantially flush with the in-' ner end of said bearing and that it is desired to place the binder in the tray and use the same in combination therewith, the said binder'will be placed in the tray with the clamping members 13 restingon the base and one of the covers 36 supported by; the support 39, as indicated in solid lines in Figure 7 of the drawings. If it is merely. desired to refer to entries on the loose leaves in the binder, the cover 36 adjacent to the support 40 will be opened against said support into the broken line position shown in Figure 1.

N ow assuming that it is desired to perform bookkeeping operations, either by hand or machine, on the different loose leaves, the shaft 32 will be inserted through the bearing 48 and engaged with the head of the screw 27, as shown in Figure 6, and the handle will be turned to open the clamp in members 13, thus separating the loose leaves and relieving the pressure on their lowerends so that they may be readily extracted from the binder for the purpose of making entries on said leaves. WVhen the binder is open and the clamping members are released, the loose leaves on opposite sides of thebinder are held against sliding toward one another at their lower ends by the grooves 25. As new leaves are added to the binder, said binder may be expanded by turning the shaft 32 so as to further space the clamping members 13. When the binder has been expanded to the full length of the space between the supports 39, 40, the shaft 32, when operated to expand the binder will cause one of the clamping members 13 to push against the support 40, thus to expand the tray in length to correspond with the expansion of the binder. The detent 43 snapping into one of the notches 47, will indicate to what extent to expand the tray.

At the end of a day or at any other desired time, after it is no longer desired to refer to the loose leaves, the shaft 32 will be operated to close the clamping members together and the shaft 32 will be withdrawn from the head of the screw 27, thus freeing the binder so that it can be llflZBClflOlll the tray.

Oli'setting of the loose leaves may beac-' complished 111 a manner well understood in this art, either or both stops 49 being slid outwardly and the leaves that are to be offset being moved edgewise until they engage either one of said stops.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is a cooperative relation between the binder and tray and that the binder, when in the tray, can'be locked in place therein by the shaft 32. It is also readily seen that the binder is expanded and contracted by means mounted on the tray, namely, the shaft .32,

though it is to be understood that, if desired, the shaft may be applied to the screw head when the binder 11 is detached from the tray. It is preferable, however, to operate the clamping members into open and closed positions when the binder is positioned in the tray.

lVe claim:

1. A tray binder comprising a base, clamping members slidably and loosely resting on the base, adjustable means engaging the clamping members to hold them in different spaced relations, and means on the base detachaloly engaging the holding means operable to adjust said holding means.

2. A tray binder comprising a base, clamping members slidably and loosely resting on the base, adjustable means engaging the clamping members to hold them in dif:

ferent-spaced relations, and means detach:

relations, supports on the base for the covers, a

one of said supports being movable relative to the other support and means on the base detachably engaging the holding means 0perable to adjust said holding means, said first mentioned support adapted to be operated into different positions'by a relative movement between the clamping members.

4. A tray binder I comprising a base, clamping members slidably and loosely resting on the base,. covers hinged to the clamping members, adjustable means engaging the clamping members to hold them in different spaced relations, supports on the base for the covers, one of said supports being movable relative to the other support and means detachably mounted, on the base and detachably engaging the holding means operable to adjust said holding means, said i firstmentioned support adapted to beoperated into different positions by a," relative movement between. the clamping members.

5. A tray binder comprising, a tray, and

sion of the binder to expandthe tray, said binder provided with means to expand it. H 8. A tray binder comprising an expansible binder, and an expansible tray loosely supporting the binder and operable by expansion of the binder to expand the tray, said:

binder provided with means to expand it and said tray-provided. with an operating member engageable with the binder-expanding means.

9. A. tray binder. comprising an expansible binder provided with means to expand it. and a tray loosely supporting the binder and provided with a bearing and with a shaft to mm in saidbearingsaid shaft adapted to engage and operate the binder-expanding means. a v p p 3 i i 10, A tray binder comprising an expansible binder provided with means to expand it, and a tray loosely supporting the binder and providdwith a bearing and with a shaft" removably su ported in said bearing, said shaft adapte to engage and operate the binder-expanding means. 7 r a 11. A tray binder comprising an expansi ble binder provided with means including 7 a. nut and screw to expand it, and a tray loosely supportingthefbinder and provided with" air op'eratin member detachablj en gageable Withs'ai sere'w'.

12. A may hinder] comprising clamping members, a base shiftably supporting the" clamping members, a cover hinged tooneofj the clam iiig membersfa, support for said cover shfiab'ly connectedwith the base, and means to move the last-{mentioned clamping member into engagement with the cover sup port to effect shifting'of'seid cov er support to position to suppor'tthe' cover in'the posi tion to which it is moved by movement of the associatedclamping-member. v

13. A tray biiider comprising clamping members, a base shiftebly supporting the clamping members, a cover hinged to one" of the clamping members, a supportfo'r said cover connectedwith' the base 'and provided with a bearing, means connecting the clamping member's operable to relatively move said members, and a shaft 'rota'tably slip-I ported insaidbearing and engageable with said meansto operate'the seine. p l 14. A tray binder comprising-clamping members, a base shiftably supporting the clamping members, aicoverhingcd'to one of the'claniping members, a su port forsaidf cover shiftably connected Wit the base and provided with a bearing, means to move the last-mentioned clamping member into en gageinent with the cover Support, and a shaft rotatably supported in: said bearing and engageable with said' rn'eans to operate the same to effect shifting of said cover support to position to support the cover in the position-to which it moved by movementof the associated clampin-dmember.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 29 day of April 1926. V

. i Y JESSE JGNES.

, ROBERT R. WEBB. 

